CHURCH USES SALE OF LAND TO PURCHASE NEW PARCEL

Florence Bohl showed her generosity by donating her farm to a Crystal Lake church, which is now doing some maneuvering to assure her legacy will be even greater.

Officials at Immanuel Lutheran Church, the beneficiary of the 41-acre farm being developed into a shopping center named for Bohl, announced Monday that money from the sale of the property will be used to purchase and develop another site.

Church officials said they have contracted to buy a vacant 60-acre parcel known as Northwest Crossings, north of U.S. Highway 14 and west of Main Street in Crystal Lake.

The purchase is being made with proceeds from the sale of the farm on U.S. 14, which is being developed into the Bohl Farm Market Place. Church officials declined to say how much it made on the transaction.

Attorney Sandra Kerrick, representing the church, said there are no firm plans for the property. Some ideas under consideration are a church, senior housing, an adult/child day-care facility, a school or a recreational facility for the community.

Bob Seegers, chairman of the church's Futures Committee, said the parcel probably will be developed in phases, with the most needed structures to come first.

While a community group wants a portion of the land donated for a pool and recreation center, Seegers said he has yet to meet with the group and no commitment has been made to build such a facility, though he was open to the idea.

"I am really, really happy that the church is going to own that property," said city Councilman Aaron Shepley, who led the charge against a previously proposed development on the site in late 1995. Shepley was invited by church officials to discuss the proposed purchase and development of the parcel.

Proposals for development of the site date to 1988, but plans to build the multifamily housing and office space raised the ire of neighbors. The developer returned in 1990 with a scaled-back project that still did not gain board approval. A new developer came forth in 1995 proposing a mix of multifamily residences, to the chagrin of neighbors.

Shepley galvanized the objectors. Neighbors sent out thousands of pieces of literature, brought hundreds of people to meetings to protest and ultimately prevailed when the City Council sent the proposal back to the Plan Commission in March of 1996.

In late 1997, the developer returned with a proposal for a development of about 200 homes, some backing up to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and others abutting the Jewel store. The design did not impress the Plan Commission.

Because there is no access to the parcel from Walkup Avenue, the plans will have to include construction of a roadway. That is a touchy subject with neighbors, who opposed an extension of Walkup Avenue to Teckler Boulevard as part of the 1995 proposal, stating that it would bring 13,000 to 17,000 cars through their neighborhood.